Universities & research

In research environments, precisely controlled climate conditions are essential. Researchers study the growth and development of plants, while also working on genetic varieties, tissue culture and fundamental testing.

Nijssen develops climate chambers, cold rooms and conditioned spaces for universities and research institutions. Thanks to custom engineering, our installations meet the high sustainability requirements of universities and research centres. Temperature, humidity and light intensity are measured and regulated with extreme precision. This allows growth conditions to be defined and reproduced accurately, resulting in a predictable growth process and reliable results.

Versatile applications

Climate chambers are used for a wide range of applications within the research sector.

Plant growth and phenotyping

In greenhouse complexes, the chambers create precise climate conditions for wheat cultivation, vernalisation and tissue culture. Accurate temperature control, adjustable LED lighting and ultrasonic humidifiers make it possible to simulate sunrise and sunset, while allowing plants to grow without stress.

Gene banks and breeding research

Stability and uniformity are crucial. The chambers offer automated control, enabling temperature, relative humidity, light intensity and CO₂ concentration, among other parameters, to be regulated per section. Monitoring and registration systems continuously check the conditions, ensuring repeatability.

Protein and crystallisation research

For pharmaceutical research, Nijssen offers walk-in chambers with a wide temperature and humidity range, for example from +4 °C to +37 °C and 20–90% relative humidity. These chambers are suitable for applications such as protein crystallisation, where precise control and extensive reporting are required.

Technology and design

The installations use indirect water/glycol cooling systems. By applying multiple reciprocating compressors, one of which is configured redundantly, the installation remains highly reliable. Conditioned air is introduced into the growth area without draughts via an intelligent air distribution system. Energy-efficient ultrasonic humidifiers regulate relative humidity with precision. Each room can be humidified or dehumidified separately.

Energy-efficient lighting is essential for research. Many chambers are equipped with dimmable assimilation lighting that can simulate sunrise and sunset. This keeps the heat load low. In wheat cultivation chambers, the light level can be adjusted separately for each shelf, while fluorescent grow lights and LED lighting ensure a homogeneous light level. The Nijssen control system automatically regulates light intensity, monitors day and night rhythms, and optimises the cooling load, minimising energy consumption.

Research facilities are extensively tested before they are put into operation. Nijssen carries out comprehensive measurements to ensure that temperatures, air velocities, relative humidity and light levels meet the specified requirements. Thermal imaging cameras are used to check that there are no thermal bridges and that the temperature is uniform throughout. Air velocities are measured to prevent plant stress and to ensure that circulation remains within the optimal range.